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Ms. Bourg stated that the loss of the cottage would be a loss of City history, and she implored the Cunninghams to save it and restore the old family home to live in. She indicated that she contacted at least 12 families who oppose the project and would be most affected by it. She then read into the record a letter from Debbie Ayres, a neighbor who could not be present at the meeting: "The Victorian home looks lovely, but the postage sized lot is too small and the size of the home infringes upon the privacy of its neighbors. 1 recently bought an adjacent home on Second Street not knowing that already the home on another side of my property has expansion plans approved. These things will not only affect my privacy, but may impact my property value by being squished in the middle. "My property is a rectangular lot in the center of the block. If the Cunningham high rise is built, my yard will be surrounded by five different neighbors instead of four. Although I am currently surrounded by four neighbors, none look directly into my backyard and bedroom window. "The Cunningham plan positions a crows'nest deck on their second level that provides a birds'eye view of my backyard& bedroom. This is an invasion of my privacy. The two story building also blocks my view of the skyline (heritage trees and sky) that came with my recent purchase as a reminder of where I live. `I moved to Pleasanton 15 years ago, because of the five antique stores on Main Street. I loved the old houses surrounding downtown that added to its charm. "For 15 years, I only dreamed of living on Second Street with its historic homes and the wide tree lined street. I can't tell you how many times I walked, drove, or rode a bike down Second Street longing to rent (including the property in question) or purchase in the area. "Now that I live on Second Street, I see that I was not alone. I wake up Saturday mornings to sit near the window and watch 'the parade'of people, bikes, strollers, and dogs passing by and looking. On Halloween as a new landlord, I turned off the lights after the first 350 trick-or-treaters. "Why do the people pass? Why the number of treat-or-treaters? Because this is the most desirable street'and neighborhood in Pleasanton! It is unique. 66.000 people live in Pleasanton. Only a small number of people are fortunate enough to live in the downtown area. Even fewer have the privilege to reside in historic properties and in doing so, have taken on the responsibility to preserve their heritage, to tell the story...who were the people who settled the area? What did they do? The people are gone. But the homes they built live on to tell a story. `I am a northern California native. Yet I worked three years of the East Coast and north shore of Long Island. I lived near the village green where George Washington stood. I visited historic homes, some having been restored from old taverns or school houses. That is not to say that there was not any new construction. There EXCERPT: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, APRIL 13, 2011 Page 5 of 15